As a political science major, I am conditioned to take elections seriously. I was hoping this years' election would encourage a similar sentiment with the rest of the country. Am I wrong?
I recently overheard a group of 20-something girls start talking politics at the salon, and the one cohort put her two cents of opinion into the conversation by saying, "I don't know anything about either candidate, and they say that one vote matters, but it really doesn't, so I'm not voting."
It was like hearing something from a horror movie, as if she was reading a script. I would have gladly foregone my much-needed haircut to deliver my sermon on voter responsibilities if I thought it would make a dent, but instead I now preach it to you, my new congregation.
Our country is struggling through a time of conflict, deepening division and lack of trust in our government - that is something everyone can agree on. In fact, many citizens make regular habits of complaining about how high their taxes are or how much those boys in Washington are screwing things up, but then they don't vote.
We are citizens of a democracy, one we proudly proclaim to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people." If we are the people, and we aren't doing anything, where has this democracy of ours gone? If we are proud of our liberties and freedoms, then the least we can do is vote to protect them every election.
People often ask what they can do to make their opinion heard. Usually they think it involves lengthy letters or visits to a representative's office, but once or twice a year, all they need to do is show up to their voting precinct, sign their name and press a few buttons. Five minutes can determine a lifetime. Is five minutes too much to ask for?
College students make up one of the most important demographics in this election, yet only one-third of us go to the polls come election time. We go to school in the capitol of one of the most important swing states in this election, yet the hope for great participation in November isn't exactly high.
If you complain the next time you watch the news and wonder what the world is coming to, or you scoff at some new law, just remember that you were one of the people who put those representatives in their seats, either though voting for them or not voting at all.
It infuriates me every time a person goes on and on about the state of the country, yet they admit to not voting. They don't think it matters, but the next time a piece of legislation is passed in Congress that they are against, and that won by only one vote, I want to see if they think that one wasted vote doesn't matter.
As college students, we have a lot of things worrying us right now, and in the coming years we will be faced with many more. We can't just wait for them to pile up and then wave our hands in the air asking for a government we didn't help to form to come bail us out.
Most of us have or will have loans to pay for college. Some of us are in the military, and most of us care about someone who is. We all pay taxes. Those are three pretty good reasons to go to the polls on Nov. 2.
The land of the free and the home of the brave is neither if its citizens take the day off.
We are young, we have a lot to say and we are the future. As Ghandi said, "We must be the change we wish to see."
So register to vote before Oct. 2. Get information about absentee ballots if you are registered in another state. And don't forget: You have a date with a voting booth on Nov. 2.
Besides, it's worth the sticker.
Amanda L. Sage is a junior in political science. She can be reached for comment at sage.25@osu.edu.
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